Predestination This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Act 4:28; Rom 8:29, Rom 8:30; Co1 2:7; Eph 1:5, Eph 1:11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guide, we must accept this doctrine with all its mysteriousness, and settle all our questionings in the humble, devout acknowledgment, "Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight." For the teaching of Scripture on this subject let the following passages be examined in addition to those referred to above; Gen 21:12; Exo 9:16; Exo 33:19; Deu 10:15; Deu 32:8; Jos 11:20; Sa1 12:22; Ch2 6:6; Psa 33:12; Psa 65:4; Psa 78:68; Psa 135:4; Isa 41:1; Jer 1:5; Mar 13:20; Luk 22:22; Joh 6:37; Joh 15:16; Joh 17:2, Joh 17:6, Joh 17:9; Act 2:28; Act 3:18; Act 4:28; Act 13:48; Act 17:26; Rom 9:11, Rom 9:18, Rom 9:21; Rom 11:5; Eph 3:11; Th1 1:4; Th2 2:13; Ti2 1:9; Tit 1:2; Pe1 1:2. (See DECREES OF GOD; ELECTION.) Hodge has well remarked that, "rightly understood, this doctrine (1.) exalts the majesty and absolute sovereignty of God, while it illustrates the riches of his free grace and his just displeasure with sin. (2.) It enforces upon us the essential truth that salvation is entirely of grace. That no one can either complain if passed over, or boast himself if saved. (3.) It brings the inquirer to absolute self-despair and the cordial embrace of the free offer of Christ. (4.) In the case of the believer who has the witness in himself, this doctrine at once deepens his humility and elevates his confidence to the full assurance of hope" (Outlines).

Presidents Three presidents are mentioned, of whom Daniel was the first (Dan 6:2). The name in the original is sarkhin, probably a Persian word meaning perfects or ministers.

Priest The Heb. kohen , Gr. hierus , Lat. sacerdos , always denote one who offers sacrifices. At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen 8:20), Abraham (Gen 12:7; Gen 13:4), Isaac (Gen 26:25), Jacob (Gen 31:54), and Job (Job 1:5). The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Lev 21:16. There are ordinances also regarding the priests' dress (Exo 28:40) and the manner of their consecration to the office (Ex. 29:1-37). Their duties were manifold (Exo 27:20, Exo 27:21; Exo 29:38; Lev 6:12; Lev 10:11; Lev 24:8; Num 10:1; Deu 17:8; Deu 33:10; Mal 2:7). They represented the people before God, and offered the various sacrifices prescribed in the law. In the time of David the priests were divided into twenty-four courses or classes (Ch1 24:7). This number was retained after the Captivity (Ezr 2:36; Neh 7:39). "The priests were not distributed over the country, but lived together in certain cities [forty-eight in number, of which six were cities of refuge, q.v.], which had been assigned to their use. From thence they went up by turns to minister in the temple at Jerusalem. Thus the religious instruction of the people in the country generally was left to the heads of families, until the establishment of synagogues, an event which did not take place till the return from the Captivity, and which was the main source of the freedom from idolatry that became as marked a feature of the Jewish people thenceforward as its practice had been hitherto their great national sin." The whole priestly system of the Jews was typical. It was a shadow of which the body is Christ. The priests all prefigured the great Priest who offered "one sacrifice for sins" "once for all" (Heb 10:10, Heb 10:12). There is now no human priesthood. (See Heb 1:1 and throughout.) The term "priest" is indeed applied to believers (Pe1 2:9; Rev 1:6), but in these cases it implies no sacerdotal functions. All true believers are now "kings and priests unto God." As priests they have free access into the holiest of all, and offer up the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and the sacrifices of grateful service from day to day.

Prince The title generally applied to the chief men of the state. The "princes of the provinces" (Kg1 20:14) were the governors or lord-lieutenants of the provinces. So also the "princes" mentioned in Dan 6:1, Dan 6:3, Dan 6:4, Dan 6:6, Dan 6:7 were the officers who administered the affairs of the provinces; the "satraps" (as rendered in R.V.). These are also called "lieutenants" (Est 3:12; Est 8:9; R.V., "satraps"). The promised Saviour is called by Daniel (Dan 9:25) "Messiah the Prince" (Heb. nagid ); compare Act 3:15; Act 5:31. The angel Micheal is called (Dan 12:1) a "prince" (Heb. sar , whence "Sarah," the "princes").

Priscilla The wife of Aquila (Act 18:2), who is never mentioned without her. Her name sometimes takes the precedence of his (Rom 16:3; Ti2 4:19). She took part with Aquila (q.v.) in instructing Apollos (Act 18:26).

Prison The first occasion on which we read of a prison is in the history of Joseph in Egypt. Then Potiphar, "Joseph's master, took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound" (Gen 39:20). The Heb. word here used ( sohar ) means properly a round tower or fortress. It seems to have been a part of Potiphar's house, a place in which state prisoners were kept. The Mosaic law made no provision for imprisonment as a punishment. In the wilderness two persons were "put in ward" (Lev 24:12; Num 15:34), but it was only till the mind of God concerning them should be ascertained. Prisons and prisoners are mentioned in the book of Psalms (Psa 69:33; Psa 79:11; Psa 142:7). Samson was confined in a Philistine prison (Jdg 16:21, Jdg 16:25). In the subsequent history of Israel frequent references are made to prisons (Kg1 22:27; Kg2 17:4; Kg2 25:27, Kg2 25:29; Ch2 16:10; Isa 42:7; Jer 32:2). Prisons seem to have been common in New Testament times (Mat 11:2; Mat 25:36, Mat 25:43). The apostles were put into the "common prison" at the instance of the Jewish council (Act 5:18, Act 5:23; Act 8:3); and at Philippi Paul and Silas were thrust into the "inner prison" (Act 16:24; compare Act 4:3; Act 12:4, Act 12:5).

Prophet (Heb. nabi , from a root meaning "to bubble forth, as from a fountain," hence "to utter", compare Psa 45:1). This Hebrew word is the first and the most generally used for a prophet. In the time of Samuel another word, ro'eh , "seer", began to be used (Sa1 9:9). It occurs seven times in reference to Samuel. Afterwards another word, hozeh , "seer" (Sa2 24:11), was employed. In Ch1 29:29 all these three words are used: "Samuel the seer ( ro'eh ), Nathan the prophet ( nabi' ), Gad the seer" ( hozeh ). In Jos 13:22 Balaam is called (Heb.) a kosem = "diviner," a word used only of a false prophet. The "prophet" proclaimed the message given to him, as the "seer" beheld the vision of God. (See Num 12:6, Num 12:8.) Thus a prophet was a spokesman for God; he spake in God's name and by his authority (Exo 7:1). He is the mouth by which God speaks to men (Jer 1:9; Isa 51:16), and hence what the prophet says is not of man but of God (Pe2 1:20, Pe2 1:21; compare Heb 3:7; Act 4:25; Act 28:25). Prophets were the immediate organs of God for the communication of his mind and will to men (Deu 18:18, Deu 18:19). The whole Word of God may in this general sense be spoken of as prophetic, inasmuch as it was written by men who received the revelation they communicated from God, no matter what its nature might be. The foretelling of future events was not a necessary but only an incidental part of the prophetic office. The great task assigned to the prophets whom God raised up among the people was "to correct moral and religious abuses, to proclaim the great moral and religious truths which are connected with the character of God, and which lie at the foundation of his government." Any one being a spokesman for God to man might thus be called a prophet. Thus Enoch, Abraham, and the patriarchs, as bearers of God's message (Gen 20:7; Exo 7:1; Psa 105:15), as also Moses (Deu 18:15; Deu 34:10; Hos 12:13), are ranked among the prophets. The seventy elders of Israel (Num 11:16), "when the spirit rested upon them, prophesied;" Asaph and Jeduthun "prophesied with a harp" (Ch1 25:3). Miriam and Deborah were prophetesses (Exo 15:20; Jdg 4:4). The title thus has a general application to all who have messages from God to men. But while the prophetic gift was thus exercised from the beginning, the prophetical order as such began with Samuel. Colleges, "schools of the prophets", were instituted for the training of prophets, who were constituted, a distinct order (Sa1 19:18; Kg2 2:3, Kg2 2:15; Kg2 4:38), which continued to the close of the Old Testament. Such "schools" were established at Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal, Gibeah, and Jericho. The "sons" or "disciples" of the prophets were young men (Kg2 5:22; Kg2 9:1, Kg2 9:4) who lived together at these different "schools" (Kg2 4:38). These young men were taught not only the rudiments of secular knowledge, but they were brought up to exercise the office of prophet, "to preach pure morality and the heart-felt worship of Jehovah, and to act along and coordinately with the priesthood and monarchy in guiding the state aright and checking all attempts at illegality and tyranny." In New Testament times the prophetical office was continued. Our Lord is frequently spoken of as a prophet (Luk 13:33; Luk 24:19). He was and is the great Prophet of the Church. There was also in the Church a distinct order of prophets (Co1 12:28; Eph 2:20; Eph 3:5), who made new revelations from God. They differed from the "teacher," whose office it was to impart truths already revealed. Of the Old Testament prophets there are sixteen, whose prophecies form part of the inspired canon. These are divided into four groups: (1.) The prophets of the northern kingdom (Israel), viz., Hosea, Amos, Joel, Jonah. (2.) The prophets of Judah, viz., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. (3.) The prophets of Captivity, viz., Ezekiel and Daniel. (4.) The prophets of the Restoration, viz., Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Propitiation That by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to exercise his love towards sinners. In Rom 3:25 and Heb 9:5 (A.V., "mercy-seat") the Greek word hilasterion is used. It is the word employed by the LXX. translators in Exo 25:17 and elsewhere as the equivalent for the Hebrew kapporeth , which means "covering," and is used of the lid of the ark of the covenant (Exo 25:21; Exo 30:6). This Greek word ( hilasterion ) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitiation or reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it the "mercy-seat," and so made propitiation. In Jo1 2:2; Jo1 4:10, Christ is called the "propitiation for our sins." Here a different Greek word is used ( hilasmos ). Christ is "the propitiation," because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. (Compare Heb 2:17, where the expression "make reconciliation" of the A.V. is more correctly in the R.V. "make propitiation.")